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Michael sat by A.J.'s bedside, and tried to make a decision between drug therapy and surgery for A.J. Just as Michael said to a comatose A.J. that he could not make that decision on his own, Sonny walked in. Michael poured out his heart to Sonny, who supported Michael by saying that Michael was levelheaded and would make the correct decision. Sonny told Michael how much he loved him and again told Michael to trust his gut.

Michael thanked Sonny for his help and asked Sonny to stay with A.J. while Michael talked to Patrick. Alone with A.J., Sonny told A.J. how much Sonny despised A.J. and wished him dead for Connie's sake but how much he wanted A.J. to live for Michael's sake, even if that meant that Sonny would lose his relationship with Michael as a result.

Patrick was in an emotional state when he hurled Robin's picture against his office wall and questioned how Robin could leave her family. Elizabeth walked in and overheard. She consoled Patrick, who told her how he had hurt Emma earlier, and he worried that Robin's departure would cause him to spiral out of control. Elizabeth pointed out that Emma had forgiven him and that Patrick could be strong for his daughter's sake.

Patrick was not as sure of himself as Elizabeth was. She reminded Patrick that Robin loved her family and would be back. Michael knocked and entered. He told Patrick that he had decided on the surgery for A.J. Patrick told Michael to spend some time with his father while Patrick suited up. After Michael left, Elizabeth questioned whether or not Patrick was emotionally stable enough for surgery. Patrick stiffened his back and told Elizabeth that Robin was not the only one who could rise to the occasion when needed.

Michael returned with news that Patrick was prepping for immediate surgery. Michael told Sonny how much he appreciated Sonny's support. Michael and Sonny hugged. Sonny glared at A.J.

At the lake house, T.J. and Molly got passionate on the couch. Just as they decided to take it up a level and go to Molly's room, Alexis got home and surprised them. Before Molly could start an argument, Alexis suddenly conceded that she no longer objected if the teens had sex. In fact, she encouraged them to go to Molly's room while she waited in the living room for them to finish.

Both teens were embarrassed, and T.J. could not leave fast enough. Molly accused Alexis of deliberately embarrassing T.J., and Alexis admitted that she had. Alexis also told Molly that she had been wrong not to trust Molly to know when it was the right time to have sex. Alexis said that she had been afraid that Molly would be hurt like she had been, but Alexis had finally realized that Molly was not Alexis. Molly said that she had another advantage that Alexis had not had, and that was a loving, supportive mother. Mother and daughter kissed and made up.

Shawn was surprised to find, T.J.'s mother, Jordan, waiting for him when he returned to Kelly's. Jordan said that she was there to take T.J., Thomas Junior, home with her because she felt that living with Shawn was dangerous for her son. Shawn reminded Jordan that her life had been a mess, and being with her had also been dangerous for T.J. Jordan said that she had been a wreck after her husband's death, but she had put her life together and wanted her son back in it.

Shawn was protesting when T.J. walked into Kelly's. T.J. was surprised to see his mom. T.J. was happy to see Jordan. Shawn looked on sternly.

Nathan opened his door to his mother, Madeline Reeves, who called him, "James." Nathan explained that he used his middle name, Nathan, and her maiden name, West, to hide his real name, James Nathan Reeves, and his close relationship to the case against Silas. Madeline and Nathan discussed the case as well as Nathan's relationship to his much older sister.

Both Madeline and Nathan were convinced that Silas had killed Nina, and, before she left to book a room at the Metro Court and he departed for work, Nathan promised his mother that he would prove it.

Sam met Silas in his office at General Hospital. He told her about his frustration after Madeline's visit. Sam said that she wanted to know more about Nathan, and she intended to look into his background. Silas expressed his rage over everything that was happening to Sam as a result of his past. Silas said that he did not want Sam to have to work so hard on his behalf because all he could think about was Sam.

Passion exploded between Sam and Silas, who quickly locked his office door. They made frenzied love on the desk. In the afterglow, both Sam and Silas felt better knowing that what they were fighting for was worth preserving and that as long as they had each other, they could conquer anything.

At Kelly's, Lulu was flipping through pictures of Ben on her cell phone when she overheard a young woman at a nearby table announce that she was pregnant. Lulu watched the couple as the baby's father happily asked how far along the woman was. Lucas entered the diner and immediately became concerned when he noticed that his cousin seemed upset, but Lulu quickly wiped away the tears and claimed that she'd had something in her eye. She then changed the subject to ask why Lucas had asked to meet.

Lucas sat down as he explained that he had wanted to talk to her about Julian because he wasn't certain how to proceed with his father. Lucas opened up about Julian's reaction to learning that Lucas was gay and how Julian had blamed his reservations about having a gay son on an old-fashioned upbringing. Lulu argued that there wasn't any excuse for being homophobic, but Lucas quickly assured her that there had been progress because Julian had seen the error of his ways. Lulu sensed that there was something else going on, so Lucas confessed that he had been seeing someone and had been thinking about inviting Julian to dinner to meet Lucas' boyfriend.

Lulu suspected that Lucas wanted to test how far Julian's acceptance of Lucas' homosexuality went before Lucas made the effort to get to know Julian better. Lucas didn't disagree, but he changed the subject by asking what had been troubling Lulu. Lulu glanced at the couple at the nearby table and then opened up to her cousin about Ben. She confided that she kept making excuses to go to Wyndemere to spend time with Ben and that she'd had dreams that Ben was her son. Lulu admitted that she couldn't shake the pull that she felt toward Ben, which she believed stemmed from not being able to give Dante a child, but she realized that she needed to accept that Ben was Britt's son.

Lucas assured Lulu that she didn't have anything to feel ashamed about, so Lulu thanked her cousin for his understanding and support. She pulled herself together and then suggested that Lucas proceed with his plans to introduce his boyfriend to Julian. Lucas offered to stay with Lulu, but she promised him that she would be fine and then added that she needed to deal with a caterer.

At the Jerome Gallery, Julian handed Ric documents with a promise that everything was on the up and up, as they had discussed. Julian was curious when they could move forward with the next phase of their partnership, but Ava strolled in before Ric could answer. Ava was curious what was going on, so Ric introduced himself and Julian explained that Ric had represented Julian when the police had suspected Julian of shooting A.J. Ava was curious if Julian had landed in more legal trouble, but Julian assured his sister that he didn't have any charges pending. Ric stepped aside and looked around the gallery as Ava questioned Julian about his association with Ric.

Julian explained that he intended to retain Ric to handle the contracts for the various art shows at the gallery. Ava recalled Sonny warning her that Julian had a secret moneyman bankrolling the Jerome organization, so she balked at the suggestion of Ric working for the gallery and reminded Julian that Diane handled all of the gallery's legal affairs. Julian countered that Diane had been difficult to reach since Max's shooting and then pointedly suggested that Diane might blame the Jeromes for what had happened to Max. Ava countered that Ric was Sonny's brother and wondered if Julian was interested in Ric because of the bad blood between Ric and Sonny.

Ric assured Ava that he was no longer out to get his brother and that he was only interested in doing aboveboard work for the gallery. Ava appeared skeptical as she wondered if that was the extent of Julian's association with Ric. Ric promised her that it was and then innocently asked what else there could be. "You tell me," Ava challenged. Ric decided to let Julian and Ava sort things out, so he left.

Julian resented Ava's hostility towards Ric, but she was unapologetic as she demanded to know what was really going on. Ava reminded Julian that the gallery belonged to her and was just a front for Julian, but Julian explained that they needed to cover all of their bases. He pointed out that they had been targeting Sonny's legitimate businesses, so Sonny might want to retaliate by doing the same to them. Julian admitted that he couldn't trust Ava to keep the business safe because she had botched the ELQ takeover, but she saw through the ploy to misdirect her and demanded to know if Julian's interest in Ric had anything to do with the person who had been bankrolling the Jerome organization.

Julian was curious what had made Ava believe that anyone had been bankrolling his organization. Ava insisted that it was their organization but added that she'd simply had a hunch. Julian didn't believe her and suggested that Alexis had been right to warn him that Ava had been snooping through his computer files. Ava insisted that she deserved to know the truth because she was Julian's partner, so she demanded to know if Ric had been funding their organization. Julian informed Ava that he didn't answer to anyone and then added that it was none of her business.

At the lake house, Alexis was reading a news article about Julian's release from jail. She recalled how Julian had told her that one day she'd run out of excuses and realize that the attraction between them was too much to resist. Moments later, someone knocked on the door. It was Sonny.

Sonny explained that he needed Alexis' help, so Alexis offered him some coffee because he looked exhausted. Sonny admitted that he had spent the night at the hospital with Michael because of A.J. He grumbled that A.J. had appointed Michael to make all medical decisions for A.J. "Typical," Sonny spat with irritation. According to Sonny, it had been a desperate ploy on A.J.'s part to show Michael that Michael had meant something to A.J.

Alexis knew that A.J. had been shot, but she hadn't realized that A.J. had been in critical condition. Sonny explained that A.J. had suffered an aneurysm, so Michael had decided to ask Patrick to operate. Alexis was curious if the operation had been a success, but Sonny admitted that A.J. remained in surgery. Alexis felt terrible for Michael because it was not okay for a kid to have to make that kind of choice for a parent. However, she suspected that it wasn't the reason for Sonny's visit.

Alexis wondered if Sonny needed legal advice, prompting Sonny to ask why she would think that. She pointed out that Julian had been released from jail, which meant that the shooter was still on the loose. She quietly reminded him that anything he told her would be kept in the strictest of confidence because of attorney/client privilege, but Sonny assured her that he had kept his promise to Michael not to hurt A.J. Sonny then added that he had an alibi; he had been with Duke at the time of the shooting.

Alexis was curious why Sonny had sought her out, so Sonny revealed that he wanted to talk to her about Ric and Julian's association. Alexis explained that she had asked Ric to represent Julian when the police had suspected Julian of shooting A.J., but Sonny revealed that someone had been secretly bankrolling the Jerome organization through Barrett Enterprises. Alexis was surprised that Sonny suspected Ric because Ric didn't have access to that kind of money. Sonny argued that they had no idea what Ric had been up to during the five years that Ric had been away.

Sonny suggested that Ric could have put together a hedge fund, but Alexis thought that Sonny was reaching. Sonny insisted that he had always had a sense that Julian's vendetta against Sonny had been personal and then added that Ric had always had a lifelong grudge against Sonny, so it made perfect sense to Sonny that Ric would be Julian's moneyman. Alexis wondered if Sonny had any proof of his claims, but Sonny shook his head and explained that was why he needed Alexis' help. Alexis explained that she was barely on speaking terms with Ric, but Sonny clarified that he wanted Alexis to get the information out of Julian.

Shocked, Alexis explained that she and Julian were not that close, but Sonny didn't believe her because he was certain that Alexis and Julian were involved. Alexis conceded that she had been attracted to Julian when she had believed that he was Derek Wells, but she had rebuffed all of his advances once she had learned who Julian really was. Sonny explained that Alexis was Julian's weakness and that she could use the attraction that Julian felt for her to her advantage to glean information. Alexis refused to do it, so Sonny urged her to consider Molly because Ric's involvement with Julian could endanger Molly.

Alexis doubted that Julian would tell her anything, but Sonny urged her to try and then suggested that she invite Julian to Nikolas' engagement party. Alexis wasn't comfortable inviting Julian to a family function or entrapping Julian, but Sonny insisted that was what he paid Alexis for. Alexis informed Sonny that he was her client, not her pimp, but she agreed to do it to make certain that Molly stayed safe. Moments later, Alexis called Julian to invite him over so they could talk.

At the hospital, Britt entered an examination room where Lulu had been waiting, eager for news about the test results. Britt sadly informed Lulu that there hadn't been a change; Lulu won't be able to have a child. "What about the one that you stole from me?" Lulu asked.

Britt woke up with a gasp as Nikolas stirred beside her. He asked Britt if she was okay, so Britt explained that she'd had a bad dream. "Again?" Nikolas asked. He wondered what was going on, but Britt claimed that she was just concerned about their engagement party later that evening because her mother wouldn't give her the day off from work. Nikolas assured Britt that the staff would take care of everything, so there was nothing to worry about. Britt confessed that she hadn't had a chance to pick up a dress for the party, so Nikolas surprised Britt by dashing to the closet and returning with a gift box.

Britt looked at the beautiful dress and then hugged Nikolas as she admitted that she'd never had someone who had taken care of her. Nikolas promised her that that was about to change and then shooed Britt out the door so she wouldn't be late for work.

Moments later, Nikolas heard someone clap. He turned and saw Emily, dressed in a white dress, seated on his bed. Emily smiled as she joked that Nikolas looked as if he had seen a ghost. Nikolas returned her smile and asked why she was there, so Emily admitted that she knew about the engagement party. Emily wanted to wish Nikolas well, but she also wanted to make certain that Britt made him happy. Nikolas carefully assured that he was as happy as he had been in a long time.

Emily wondered if Nikolas loved Britt. "Yes, I do, very much so," Nikolas answered. Emily smiled because it was what she had wanted to hear. Nikolas promised that Britt was the first woman that had made him feel that way "since," but he was unable to finish the thought. "First time since me or the first since Elizabeth?" Emily asked.

Emily reminded Nikolas that Elizabeth had declared her love for Nikolas and had confessed to wanting to be with him, so Emily wanted to know how he felt about that because it had been everything that Nikolas had wanted when he had returned to Port Charles. Nikolas agreed, but he insisted that he had been forced to move on when Elizabeth had rejected him. Emily urged Nikolas to examine his feelings closely before he walked down the aisle because she wanted Nikolas to marry the right woman.

Nikolas appreciated that Elizabeth had been Emily's best friend, but Emily stopped him to explain that Emily loved him and always would, so she couldn't rest in peace unless she knew for certain that he was happy. Emily implored Nikolas to tell her the truth and then asked him if he loved Elizabeth. Nikolas admitted that he did. "I really do," Nikolas quietly added. Emily asked why Nikolas would marry Britt if he loved Elizabeth, so Nikolas explained that he had put his feelings for Elizabeth in the past. "Like the love we had?" Emily wondered.

Nikolas admitted that Emily knew him better than anyone else and that no one would ever take her place because she would always be a part of him even if she weren't with him in person. Nikolas explained that the love that Emily had given him had been the best that he'd ever had. Emily insisted that she wanted Nikolas to love again and to be honest about who he loved. Nikolas was adamant that he loved Britt and that Britt was his future. Emily confessed that she wanted what was best for Nikolas, so Nikolas reached for her hand and then kissed it.

Emily asked Nikolas for a favor. She wanted him to be careful because Wyndemere's engagement parties were notorious for ending in tragedy. Nikolas's eyes filled with tears as Emily faded away.

At the nurses' station, Elizabeth stared at Nikolas and Britt's wedding invitation until Felix walked up. She asked Felix if she could help stuff envelopes for the Nurses Ball because she desperately needed a distraction, but Felix admitted that the envelopes with the address labels weren't expected until later that day. Elizabeth remarked that Nikolas' engagement party invitations had arrived in handwritten envelopes. Felix noticed that she hadn't sounded excited about the prospect of attending the engagement party, so she confessed that she had a lot on her mind.

Moments later, Brad walked up, but Felix gave him the cold shoulder until Brad walked away dejected. Elizabeth was curious what was going on between Felix and Brad, so he revealed that he and Brad were no longer seeing each other. Elizabeth worried that it had something to do with her asking Felix to secretly run the DNA test on Ben, but Felix assured her that it wasn't. Felix confided that Brad had been sleeping with another guy.

Felix blamed himself because he had spent months pushing Brad away and hadn't realized until it was too late that Brad was the one that he wanted to be with. Elizabeth confessed that she knew how Felix felt, so Felix wondered if she were talking about Nikolas. Elizabeth's lack of response was all the answer that Felix had needed. He insisted that Elizabeth was ten times the person that Britt was. Elizabeth appreciated Felix's support, but she pointed out that it didn't change anything because she had to put on a brave face and attend the party with her ex-husband.

Felix realized that Elizabeth had been referring to Ric, but before he could question her about it, Elizabeth's cell phone rang. It was Cam's school reporting that Cam had vanished.

Outside of Kelly's, Cam was sketching in a notebook when Ric spotted the young boy. Confused, Ric called out Cam's name. Cam looked up, so Ric introduced himself and asked if Cam remembered him. Cam admitted that his mother had mentioned that Ric was in town, so Ric relaxed and asked why Cam wasn't in school. Cam shrugged but didn't answer, prompting Ric to gently point out that Cam's mother might be worried. Ric decided to call Elizabeth to let her know that Cam was with him and then took Cam inside to get something to eat.

At the counter, Cam opened up about his troubles with Emma and revealed that Emma had agreed to attend Uncle Nikolas' "fancy" party with Spencer. Ric wondered if Emma was as smart as her mother, so Cam pointed out that Emma wouldn't like Spencer if she were.

Elizabeth entered the diner as Ric commiserated with Cam and confessed that he, too, knew what it was like to have feelings for someone who liked someone else. Ric urged Cam not to give up and then glanced behind him as he sensed someone standing behind him. "You never know how things will turn out in the end," Ric added as he looked at Elizabeth. Elizabeth smiled at Ric and then gently scolded Cam for scaring her. Cam apologized, so Elizabeth thanked Ric for staying with Cam.

At the hospital, Brad bumped into Britt. He was surprised that she seemed downcast instead of excited about her engagement party. Britt confessed that she didn't deserve her prince and fairytale ending, so Brad took her to the conference room to talk privately. Britt spotted the flyers for the Nurses Ball and realized that it would soon be the one-year anniversary of "the point of no return." Britt lamented that she had stolen Dante and Lulu's frozen embryos because Lulu had been missing at the time, and Britt had had no idea that it would be Lulu's only chance to have a child.

Britt confessed that she had also rationalized the theft by convincing herself that taking the embryos had been like any other donation. Brad pointed out that Lulu would still get to be a part of Ben's life through Dante, so Britt admitted that she had tried to tell herself the same thing, but it had made things worse, and Britt couldn't sleep at night. Britt didn't know how she could marry Nikolas, knowing what she had done to his sister. "You're not seriously considering telling Nikolas the truth, are you?" Brad asked.

Brad pointed out that not only would Britt risk losing her medical license, but they would both end up in jail if Nikolas learned the truth. Britt doubted that Nikolas would actually report her to the police, but Brad disagreed because they had stolen Nikolas' sister's baby. "There's no coming back from that," Brad warned Britt. However, Brad had an idea.

Brad admitted that he had been bullied during his younger years, so his therapist had suggested that he write his bullies a letter. Brad promised Britt that it would be cathartic if she wrote Lulu a letter of apology and then destroyed it. He handed Britt a pen and piece of paper and then left. Britt sat down and wrote about how she had been repeatedly rejected and heartbroken, so Britt and her mother had conspired to take the frozen embryos. Britt admitted that motherhood had changed her and conceded that she might not deserve Nikolas, but she hoped that both Nikolas and Lulu would understand why Britt had done what she had and forgive her if the truth was ever revealed.

In the hallway, Brad bumped into Lucas. Lucas invited Brad out to dinner, but Brad admitted that he had plans. Lucas was disappointed until Brad invited Lucas to attend an engagement party with Brad.

In the hospital's waiting area, Morgan approached Tracy to ask her where everyone was. Tracy explained that Michael and Monica had taken a walk to stretch their legs and that she had no idea where Kiki or Luke were because they had both been gone when Tracy had returned from making a phone call. Morgan tensed because he was concerned about Kiki. Tracy wondered why Morgan would care when Kiki had broken Morgan's heart and he had been dating Kiki's mother. Morgan explained that he and Ava were over and then snidely asked if Tracy would like a shot at him because Morgan doubted that Luke would mind.

Tracy quickly recovered from her shock when Michael and Monica returned to report that A.J. was out of surgery, but they were waiting for an update from Patrick. Moments later, Patrick walked up and revealed that he had bad news. Patrick explained that there had been a complication during surgery and that A.J. had suffered brain swelling. Monica cried out with despair when Patrick explained that A.J. was in a coma and that they would need to wait for the swelling to go down to assess the situation. Monica angrily accused Patrick of making a mistake, but Patrick reminded Monica that some things couldn't be anticipated in an operating room.

Patrick promised to get A.J. settled in so that the family could see A.J. After Patrick left, Michael helped his grandmother to a nearby seat, but Tracy wasn't satisfied with the lack of answers, so she marched off to talk to Patrick. Morgan asked if there was anything that he could do for Michael, but Michael promised to call if anything changed. Morgan assured Michael that he would return to the hospital the second that Michael needed him. After Morgan left, Michael returned to Monica's side and then reached for her hand.

Meanwhile, Luke cornered Kiki by the hospital's vending machines to ask Kiki to call him Luke rather than Mr. Spencer. Kiki made it clear that she would prefer not to talk to Luke at all, prompting Luke to question Kiki's disrespectful attitude. Stunned, Kiki accused Luke of being the one who had been out of line, but Luke ignored the remark and asked why she had told her "little boy toy" that Luke had made a pass at her. Kiki clarified that Morgan was not her boy toy; he was her ex-husband.

Kiki revealed that she had confided to Morgan because Luke's advances had been unwanted and unappreciated. She admitted that she hadn't told Michael about what Luke had done because Michael had had enough to deal with. However, Kiki warned Luke that Michael would be furious if he knew what Luke had done and would likely rip Luke's hand off of Luke's body and then "bitch slap" Luke with the bloody appendage. Luke smiled, clearly not intimidated, but Kiki ignored him. She offered to keep quiet about Luke's lecherous advances for the sake of family peace, provided that Luke kept his hands to himself.

Kiki started to walk away, but Luke followed her and suggested that they find a nice, dark corner so he could "blow her mind." Luke promised that he wouldn't even make her work for it when she returned for more. Disgusted, Kiki told Luke that he was revolting, but Luke was undaunted. He was curious why she preferred a boy when she could have a full-grown man with both technique and experience who freely offered himself to her without any strings attached. Kiki was outraged at the proposition and reminded him that he was engaged.

Luke argued that he wasn't dead and suggested that everyone liked a "little hot sauce" on the side. Kiki sputtered with outrage as Tracy walked up and asked what had been going on. Rather than answer the question, Kiki asked about A.J. Tracy revealed that A.J. was in a coma, so Kiki quickly excused herself to go to Michael. Luke started to follow Kiki, but Tracy stopped him and repeated her question. Luke tried to get Tracy to drop it, but Tracy demanded an answer because she disliked Kiki.

Tracy admitted that Kiki had been nothing but trouble from the beginning, so Luke used the information to his advantage by pretending to reluctantly confess that Kiki had hit on him several times. Luke begged Tracy not to say anything because the family had been dealing with enough because of A.J.'s shooting. He assured Tracy that he had discouraged Kiki, so there wasn't any reason to make a big deal about it.

In A.J.'s hospital room, Michael and Monica tearfully hovered at A.J.'s bedside as they each expressed regret for not being able to help A.J. Michael was filled with remorse and guilt for asking Patrick to operate, but Monica insisted that Michael wasn't to blame for A.J.'s coma because both options that Michael had been presented to treat the aneurysm had had inherent risks. Kiki entered the room and immediately went to Michael's side.

Elsewhere at the hospital, Elizabeth and Cam exited the elevator, but Elizabeth stopped her son to ask him what he had learned. Cam replied not to get caught if he played hooky. "Strike one," Elizabeth warned him. "Don't run away," Cam answered. Satisfied, Elizabeth explained that she wanted Cam to talk to her if he had a problem.

Cam wondered if it would be okay if he talked to Ric too. Elizabeth was a little surprised by the question but assured him that it would be fine as long as Cam never ran off again. Cam agreed and then asked if they could go home, but Elizabeth explained that she had some work to do because she had left in the middle of her shift to collect her son. She admitted that she also wanted to check on A.J. Concerned, Cam asked if A.J. would be okay, so Elizabeth carefully answered that she hoped so. She then led Cam to the conference room.

In the conference room, Britt finished writing the therapeutic letter of confession to Lulu about why Britt had stolen Lulu's frozen embryos. Britt folded the letter and then shoved it into the envelope, so she could burn it as Brad had instructed. However, she jumped when Elizabeth and Cam suddenly entered the conference room.

Britt quickly hid the envelope behind her back and then dropped it on the desk to keep Elizabeth from spotting it. Britt grumbled about Elizabeth not knocking, so Elizabeth apologized and then asked if Britt intended to help with the invitations for the Nurses Ball. Elizabeth suggested that it would go a long way in repairing Britt's image, but Britt explained that she didn't have time. Britt retrieved the envelope, suggested that she might participate in the ball, and then announced that she had to leave to get the cast on her arm removed. Elizabeth offered to sign Britt up for the dunking booth, but Britt left without comment.

Excited, Cam asked if there would be a dunking booth at the Nurses Ball. Elizabeth promised to make certain that there would be one as she watched Britt's retreat. Elizabeth then focused on settling Cam in. He announced that he intended to win Emma back, but Elizabeth didn't think that it would be a good idea for her son to follow Ric's advice. Cam insisted that he had to fight for Emma and added that he intended to win Emma over with his most powerful weapon, his art. Cam was confident that Spencer wouldn't stand a chance when Emma saw Cam's latest creation.

Later, Elizabeth spotted Patrick, so she asked him about A.J.'s surgery. Patrick revealed that A.J. was in a coma because of Patrick and then walked away. Elizabeth quickly followed Patrick to find out what had happened. Patrick told her about the operation and revealed that even Monica had blamed him, but Elizabeth pointed out that Monica couldn't be objective because Monica was A.J.'s mother. Patrick argued that even Elizabeth had expressed concerns about Patrick operating, but Elizabeth countered that Patrick was a great surgeon and that she had changed her mind after their talk.

Patrick explained that he'd been too distracted to do his job properly because he had been trying to prove a point that he could be as focused on his job as Robin. However, Patrick shouldn't have taken "that garbage" into the operating room. Elizabeth was confident that Patrick had done all that he could to help A.J., but Patrick disagreed and then changed the subject by explaining that he had to fetch his daughter to take her to the engagement party.

However, a short time later, Patrick stood outside of A.J.'s hospital room with tears in his eyes as he watched A.J.'s loved ones with A.J.

Elizabeth returned to the conference room to collect Cam. He showed her the origami heart that he had made for Emma. Elizabeth was disappointed that he had used one of the flyers for the Nurses Ball, but Cam assured her that it had been a scrap piece of paper because someone had written on the back of it. Elizabeth relaxed, so Cam asked her to give the origami heart to Emma during the party. Elizabeth promised that she would make certain that it would get into the right hands.

At Wyndemere, Britt prepared to burn the envelope that she believed contained the confession that she had written, but she jumped when Lulu suddenly appeared in the doorway and called out to Britt. Lulu apologized for startling Britt and then explained that she had attended to some last-minute party preparations and was about to leave to get ready for the party. Britt appreciated all that Lulu had done, but Lulu insisted that it had been her pleasure because they would soon be sisters. Britt was touched that Lulu considered Britt family, but Lulu pointed out that they would be connected through both Nikolas and Ben.

Lulu promised that it would be a night that Britt wouldn't forget and then offered to toss the envelope into the garbage on Lulu's way out. Britt declined because Britt intended to use the "junk mail" to start a fire to take the chill out of the air. After Lulu left, Britt lit the envelope and then tossed it into the fireplace, certain that her secret was safe.

At the art gallery, Julian promised to meet Alexis right away and then ended the call. Ava was curious who had Julian on such a short leash, but he ignored the question as he made his way to the door. Ava wondered if it was his mysterious business partner, so Julian pointed out that he had never told her that he had a partner. Ava countered that Julian hadn't denied it either. "Touché" Julian replied and then left.

A short time later, Sonny walked in. Ava was surprised that Sonny had risked being seen at her gallery, but Sonny assured her that he had watched Julian leave. Ava was curious why Sonny was there, so he admitted that he needed to talk to her about A.J. Sonny revealed that A.J. was in surgery and then ranted about A.J. appointing Michael the health proxy for A.J., which had put Michael in a position to make life and death decisions for A.J. "Like Michael needs another burden to carry," Sonny grumbled.

Ava sensed that Sonny was tempted to confess the truth to Michael to ease Sonny's conscience. Sonny admitted that Michael had turned to Sonny for advice about A.J.'s options because Sonny was Michael's father and Michael respected Sonny. However, Michael hadn't realized that Sonny was the reason that Michael was in the position of having to make a decision for A.J. Ava insisted that it wasn't Sonny's fault because A.J. had been the one to give Michael the responsibility of health proxy.

Sonny realized that it would be on him if A.J. died, but Michael would blame himself for A.J.'s death. Ava urged Sonny to make certain that A.J. didn't wake up because A.J. would implicate Sonny in the shooting, which would land both Sonny and Ava in jail. Sonny argued that he had been the one to pull the trigger. Ava recalled warning A.J. that his days had been numbered from the moment that Connie had written the initials in blood, but she pushed the thought aside to explain to Sonny that A.J. would implicate her as well as Sonny in the shooting.

Ava insisted that they didn't have the luxury of allowing A.J. to live. She recalled A.J. confronting her about murdering Connie and then redoubled her efforts to persuade Sonny to kill A.J. by reminding him that she had been an accessory to the shooting and therefore was in it up to her neck. "In what up to your neck?" Morgan asked as he walked in. Ava and Sonny exchanged a worried glance and then Ava explained that she and Sonny had been talking about the situation with Julian and Ric. Ava claimed that she had confronted her brother about Ric being Julian's silent partner, but Julian had denied it. Sonny revealed that Alexis might be able to succeed where Ava had failed because Alexis had agreed to talk to Julian about Ric.

Sonny then shifted gears to ask why Morgan was at the gallery despite being told to stay away from Ava until Julian was no longer a threat. Morgan explained that he had stopped by to give Ava an update on A.J. Sonny and Ava were curious if there had been any change, so Morgan revealed that A.J. had slipped into a coma during the surgery because of brain swelling. Morgan admitted that Michael had tried to hold it together, but it had been clear to Morgan that Michael was torn up. Ava pointed out that it sounded as if A.J. might have suffered brain damage as a result of the brain swelling. Morgan conceded that it was possible.

At the lake house, Alexis primped and applied lipstick before Julian arrived. She was surprised when Molly suddenly arrived home. Molly explained that she'd only had a half day of school, but she assured her mother that she planned to head to T.J.'s because she and T.J. intended to have an orgy. Alexis was not amused, so Molly smiled and explained that it had been payback for Alexis embarrassing Molly and T.J. the previous day. However, Molly admitted that she was headed to Kelly's because T.J.'s mother was in town.

Alexis was surprised because she knew that T.J. and his mother hadn't had much contact. Molly reminded Alexis that Shawn had planned to send T.J. back to Maryland when T.J. had landed in hot water with Julian but had changed his mind at the last minute, so Molly assumed that T.J.'s mother had decided to pay her son a visit. Alexis advised Molly to make friends with T.J.'s mother, but Molly was curious why Alexis was wearing a new shade of lipstick that didn't suit Alexis. Moments later, Molly had her answer when Julian arrived. Alexis quickly shooed Molly out the door, which surprised Julian because Alexis had objected to Molly spending time with T.J. the previous day.

Alexis admitted that a lot had changed in the previous twenty-four hours and then admitted that she had wanted to talk to Julian alone. Julian wondered if it was business or "other." "Other," Alexis answered. Pleased, Julian moved closer to Alexis with the intention of kissing her, but she quickly backed away and explained that she had wanted to invite him to go to a family engagement party. Julian was surprised because he hadn't expected Alexis to want to be seen in public with him.

Julian sensed that Alexis had an ulterior motive, but Alexis innocently asked what other reason she could have. Julian pointed out that in his line of work, he had to be cautious, especially since Alexis' attitude had been quite a turnaround. He wondered if she was concerned about how Sonny would react to her going out with Sonny's enemy, but Alexis argued that she was Sonny's attorney, so Sonny didn't get a say in what she did in her private life. However, Alexis offered to call Ric to see if Ric would be interested in attending the party with her.

Julian was curious why Alexis would want to go to the party with Ric. Alexis explained that she and Ric were on better terms and had made peace, but Julian took the phone away from Alexis and told her that she couldn't get involved with Ric. Alexis wondered why not, so Julian explained that Ric was not the man for her. Julian insisted that he was the man for Alexis and that it was time that he made her realize that. Julian arranged to pick her up later that evening and then went to the door.

Alexis smiled because she guessed that they had a date. "There's no guessing about it," Julian replied and then left. Alexis sighed and then fanned herself with her hand.

At Kelly's, Jordan was impressed as she listened to her son's music. T.J. smiled and credited Molly for the lyrics. Shawn walked up and handed Jordan a plate with a BLT, but Jordan frowned when she realized that he had made it with mayonnaise. She reminded Shawn that she didn't like mayo, so she asked him to make her a new sandwich. Shawn insisted that the mayo was a special recipe, but Jordan refused to try it.

Shawn agreed to make a new sandwich, provided that Jordan explained to T.J. the real reason for her visit. T.J. wanted to know what was going on, so Jordan asked to speak privately to her son. Shawn refused to leave because what Jordan had to say concerned Shawn as well as T.J. Resigned, Jordan explained that she wanted T.J. to return to Maryland with her. T.J. immediately objected, but Jordan pointed out that it was too dangerous for T.J. to live with Shawn because of Shawn's lifestyle.

T.J. pointed out that Jordan hadn't been concerned about that when she had shipped T.J. to Shawn two years earlier, but Jordan argued that at the time, Shawn had been running a diner, not working for the mafia and putting her son in the middle of the danger. Jordan made it clear that she refused to look the other way when men pointed guns at her son. T.J. insisted that he was in the middle of his last semester of high school, but Jordan assured him that she had talked to the school in Maryland, so it wouldn't be a problem for T.J. to transfer.

T.J. countered that he had applied to Port Charles University and expected to hear from them any day to find out if he had been accepted. Jordan promised that T.J. could return in the fall, but T.J. wasn't satisfied because he refused to leave "her." Jordan turned to see who T.J. had pointed at and saw Molly standing behind her. Shawn quickly stepped forward to introduce Jordan to Molly.

Jordan and Molly exchanged compliments, but T.J. warned Molly not to jump to conclusions about his mother because his mother wanted him to return to Maryland. Molly's smile immediately vanished as she objected to T.J. leaving. Jordan pointed out that it was a family matter, but T.J. argued that he and his mother hadn't been a family for two years. Shawn asked to speak privately to Jordan, so Jordan followed Shawn to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Jordan warned Shawn that her mind had been made up, but Shawn insisted that T.J. didn't want to leave. Jordan reminded Shawn that T.J. was her child, so Shawn threatened to tell T.J. the real reason that Jordan had unloaded T.J. on Shawn two years earlier. Stunned, Jordan wondered why Shawn cared, so Shawn explained that he cared about T.J.

Moments later, Jordan and Shawn returned to the dining room to announce that T.J. could stay. T.J. and Shawn were shocked when Jordan added that she would remain in Port Charles as well.

At the Webber residence, Elizabeth was looking at the origami heart that Cam had made for Emma when Ric arrived to pick Elizabeth up for the party. Ric was amazed by how incredible she looked and handed her a single red rose. Elizabeth thanked Ric and then excused herself to put the flower in a vase. Ric noticed the origami heart, so he questioned her about it when she returned to the dinning room. Elizabeth explained that Cam had made it for Emma because Ric had given Cam the idea to fight for "the woman that he loved."

Ric was impressed, so Elizabeth conceded that her son had a knack for origami. Ric clarified that he had been referring to Cam's tenacity by refusing to give up on the object of Cam's affection. Ric suggested that it might be the night that Cam won Emma over but then became distracted when he noticed writing on portions of the origami heart. Ric started to unfold the heart, but Cam entered the room and immediately took it away from Ric. Cam explained that he had made the gift for Emma with scrap paper.

Ric was certain that Emma would love it, but Cam was disappointed that he wouldn't get to see Emma receive the gift. Ric surprised both Cam and Elizabeth by suggesting that Cam attend the party with Ric and Elizabeth. Ric pointed out that having Cam along would give Ric and Elizabeth an excuse to leave early if they needed to and that it would mean that Audrey would only have to watch Aiden rather than both boys. Cam begged his mother to agree, so Elizabeth capitulated. However, she instructed Cam to hurry and get ready because Elizabeth didn't want to be late.

After Cam left the room, Elizabeth confided that she didn't want to see her son end up with a broken heart. Ric assured Elizabeth that she need not worry because nothing was set in stone just because Emma had her sights set on Spencer. Ric pointedly looked at Elizabeth as he added that minds could be changed.

At the lake house, Alexis asked Sam and Molly what they thought of Alexis' dress. Both of Alexis' daughters agreed that their mother looked "hot." Alexis beamed and returned the compliment by admitting that Sam and Molly cleaned up nicely as well. Alexis then shifted gears to ask if they were ready to party. Sam and Molly nodded, and then Sam admitted that she could use a drink. Alexis agreed that a drink sounded good, so Molly assured Sam and Alexis that they could head to the party as soon as Silas and T.J. arrived.

Alexis was curious why Molly had left out Alexis' date. Surprised, Sam wondered who Alexis' date was. As if on cue, Julian knocked on the door. Sam's smile disappeared when she saw her father standing on her mother's doorstep. Sam sidled over to her sister to ask if Molly had known that Julian was Alexis' date. Molly admitted that she'd had a hunch.

Meanwhile, Julian complimented Alexis, so Alexis thanked him and then warned both of her daughters that they could hear them talking. Sam admitted that she was thrown to discover that her parents had a date. Julian confessed that he had been surprised by Alexis' change of heart and had assumed that Sam had persuaded Alexis to give him a second chance. Sam admitted that she hadn't talked to her mother about Julian, but Julian was undaunted because he was grateful to whoever had convinced Alexis to change her mind about him.

Alexis recalled Sonny urging Alexis to invite Julian to the party to glean information about what Julian and Ric were up to, but she shoved the thought aside, and she pasted on a nervous smile. A short time later, Silas and T.J. arrived. T.J. tensed when he saw Julian and accused Julian of threatening him. Julian denied the allegation and clarified that he had merely urged T.J. to go to the police with the truth about Sonny. Julian admitted that he still thought that it was the right thing to do, but Julian respected T.J.'s decision to keep quiet, even though it frustrated Julian that the entire town was "hellbent" on protecting Sonny

However, Julian conceded that the evening was not about Sonny or business, so he suggested that they each focus on their gorgeous dates and having fun.

Later, Silas and Sam approached the docks to wait for the launch to take them to Spoon Island. Sam was happy that Silas had agreed to go with her to the engagement party and promised that they would have fun. Moments later, Alexis walked up with Molly and T.J. Alexis confessed that she had been surprised to hear that T.J.'s mother was in town. T.J. confessed that his mother had wanted to take him back to Maryland, but Shawn had talked her out of it.

Molly added that she was grateful to Shawn, so Alexis assured the teens that she was happy that everything had worked out. T.J. explained that things weren't settled yet because his mother had decided to leave her life in Maryland behind to live in Port Charles, even though his mother didn't have a job. Julian overheard the tail end of the conversation, so he revealed that he was hiring. T.J. appeared uncomfortable at the thought of his mother working for Julian, but he agreed to keep it in mind.

Later, Dante and Lulu waited for the launch to return to pick them up. Lulu noticed that the sky was clear, so she invited Dante to look up at the stars with her. They noticed a shooting star and made a wish. Dante wondered what Lulu had wished for, so she admitted that it was something that she could never have.

Moments later, Sonny and Olivia walked up. Dante was surprised that his parents were attending Nikolas and Britt's engagement party, but Sonny explained that he was close to his nephew and boxing buddy, Spencer. Sonny looked forward to seeing Spencer because the young boy was quite a character. Olivia confessed that she hoped to spend some time with Ben but then immediately apologized because Olivia realized that it might be a sensitive subject for Lulu. Lulu insisted that she was happy for everyone but admitted that she was still getting used to the idea that Dante and Britt had a baby together.

Later, Olivia spotted the launch, but Dante clarified that it was the harbor patrol. Lulu smiled when Olivia suggested that the harbor patrol take them to Spoon Island because Lulu realized that Dante got his impatience from his mother. Dante and Olivia both denied that they were impatient as Lulu and Sonny smiled. Everyone looked up when Luke and Tracy arrived.

Lulu immediately congratulated her father on his engagement to Tracy and then fawned over the stunning engagement ring that Luke had given to Tracy. Sonny and Olivia also congratulated the happy couple on their engagement and suggested that they make a toast to the couple at the party. Tracy thought that it would be best to keep quiet about the engagement. Luke agreed and added that it was Nikolas and Britt's night. Lulu was surprised that her father had agreed to attend the party because Luke and Nikolas weren't known to socialize together.

Luke explained that Tracy had needed the distraction to get her mind off of the situation with A.J. Lulu admitted that it was unfortunate that A.J. was in a coma, but Olivia lacked any sympathy for A.J.'s plight because Olivia thought that it had been more unfortunate that A.J. had murdered Olivia's cousin, Connie. Dante quickly distracted everyone by pointing out that the launch had arrived.

At Wyndemere, Nikolas saw Spencer squirt breath freshener into Spencer's mouth and then tuck it into the pocket of Spencer's lounge jacket. Nikolas advised Spencer to take it down a notch, since it wasn't Spencer's engagement party, but Spencer informed his father that the night was still young. Spencer dashed to the door when the doorbell rang. It was the chauffer delivering Emma to the party. Spencer turned on the charm as he invited Emma inside and then told her that she looked "scrumptious."

Later, Nikolas led the kids into the sitting room, where Spencer offered Emma pigs in a blanket. Emma had no idea what hors d'oeurves were, so Nikolas explained that they were hot dogs rolled in puff pastries. Emma agreed to try one when Spencer assured her that they were delicious. Satisfied that the children were settled in, Nikolas decided to check on Britt, but he let Spencer know that Alfred was in the kitchen if Spencer and Emma needed anything.

In the bedroom, Britt sat on the bed with Ben as she brushed his hair and promised that he would be the most handsome man at the party, aside from Nikolas. She looked at the brush and suddenly recalled Elizabeth confronting her about Ben's paternity and Britt's subsequent lie to Nikolas about Liesl stealing sperm to impregnate Britt. Britt's thoughts then drifted to her recent conversation with Brad when Brad had encouraged Britt to write a letter to Lulu, admitting everything and asking for forgiveness. Britt then recalled burning the envelope that she believed had contained the incriminating letter.

Later, Nikolas entered the bedroom. He saw Ben in the crib but no sign of Britt until Britt returned from the dressing room. Nikolas admitted that she looked breathtaking in the gold dress, so Britt beamed with joy and picked up Ben as she asked if Nikolas had learned how to flatter a woman in "prince school." Nikolas assured her that he had meant every word of it and then referred to her as "soon-to-be Mrs. Cassadine." When Nikolas explained that their guests were arriving, Britt's smile faded because she was nervous, but Nikolas promised to be at her side the entire time.

Meanwhile, Lucas and Brad entered Wyndemere. Brad was impressed by the house's grandeur and then wondered if it could even be called a house. Lucas revealed that Nikolas preferred that it be called a manse. Brad was surprised, but Lucas smiled and admitted that he had been joking. Brad conceded that Britt had hit the jackpot with a castle, prince, and the heir apparent.

Lucas tensed at the mention of Ben because it reminded him of what Lulu had been going through since learning that an incompetent lab tech had destroyed her remaining frozen embryos. Lucas ranted about his cousin's heartbreak until Brad appeared on the verge of making a full confession. However, Liesl suddenly appeared in the doorway and cleared her throat. "Am I interrupting?" Liesl asked with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Lucas was curious who the "dragon lady" was, so Brad revealed that Liesl was Brad's boss. Liesl asked to have a private word with Brad, but Brad objected. Lucas sensed that it was important, so he quickly excused himself. After Lucas walked away, Liesl accused Brad of wanting to confess the truth to his "little boyfriend." Brad denied it, but Liesl was certain that Brad had been about to "sing like a canary."

Brad confessed that keeping Britt's secret had become difficult because Lucas was Lulu's cousin, but Liesl didn't care and reminded Brad that what they had done had been illegal. Brad assured her that he knew that he could go to jail, but Liesl informed Brad that the only "asses" that he needed to worry about where Liesl and Britt's. She made it clear that Brad would be finished if he uttered one word about Britt's secret.

Meanwhile, Nikolas and Britt greeted their guests as they arrived. Luke showered Britt with compliments as he and Tracy congratulated Nikolas and Britt on their engagement, and Nikolas did the same to Luke and Tracy. Britt reminded Luke that they had met before, but Luke explained that he had forgotten because he had been through a "bit of a scrape" that had left his brain somewhat scrambled. Tracy noticed Luke's interest in Britt, but refrained from saying anything until Tracy and Luke were alone. Luke claimed that he couldn't control his tongue around a beautiful woman, but Tracy cautioned him to be careful because he didn't want Britt to get the wrong idea the way that Kiki had.

Next, Dante, Lulu, Sonny, and Olivia arrived. Olivia was eager to meet her grandson, so Britt sent Olivia and Sonny to the bedroom, where Ben was napping. Dante wondered if Lulu intended to join them, but Lulu said that she had spent plenty of time with Ben earlier that day.

In the bedroom, Olivia, Sonny, and Dante gushed about Ben and welcomed him to the family. Olivia noticed that Ben had Dante's chin, but then confessed that as odd as it might sound, Ben also looked like Lulu. Sonny agreed that their grandson had Lulu's coloring, but Dante asked them not to say anything to Lulu because Lulu had been having a difficult time adjusting to everything.

Meanwhile, Alexis and her family arrived. Alexis was confident that Nikolas and Britt would be happy because Britt lived in the "mausoleum" and hadn't complained, which meant that Britt was a keeper. Julian confessed that he thought that the castle was perfect. As the guests continued to arrive, Nikolas confided that he was surprised that there hadn't been any drama.

Moments later, Ric, Elizabeth, and Cam arrived. Nikolas warmly greeted his nephew and then sent Cam to the sitting room to join Spencer and Emma. Ric wished Cam luck as Cam scampered off. Nikolas greeted Ric as Britt smiled and confessed that Ric and Elizabeth made a cute couple. Ric agreed and thanked Britt.

After Nikolas and Britt left to mingle with their guests, Ric commented that Nikolas and Britt seemed happy. Elizabeth hoped so because Nikolas intended to marry Britt. Ric insisted that the couple seemed smitten, prompting Elizabeth to wonder what Ric's point was. Ric suggested that perhaps Elizabeth should let Nikolas go and move forward with her life. Ric recalled that he and Elizabeth had been good together at one time, so he hoped to pick up where they had left off, but Elizabeth became uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation and decided to check on Cam.

In the party, Lucas approached Lulu to check on his cousin and to ask where her husband was. Lulu told him that Dante had taken Olivia and Sonny to meet Ben. She then shifted gears to ask about Lucas' date. Lucas glanced over at Brad and revealed that Brad was in a discussion with Brad's boss. Lulu was surprised that Brad was Lucas' date and confided that Brad had been the one to break the news to Lulu that her frozen embryos had been destroyed. Lucas wondered why Brad hadn't mentioned that to him.

Nearby, Silas offered to fetch Sam a drink. After Silas walked away, Ric approached Sam and greeted her. Sam was cold toward Ric, so he questioned her hostility. Sam explained that she wanted to leave the past in the past. Ric backed down and excused himself when Silas returned with Sam's drink. After Ric left, Silas was curious what the deal was between Sam and Molly's father. He was surprised when Sam admitted that she had slept with Ric when Ric had been married to Alexis.

Elsewhere, Sonny greeted Alexis and Julian. Julian imagined that Sonny was surprised to see Julian at the party, but Sonny admitted that he wasn't because Alexis had always had bad taste in men. "Except for me," Sonny added with a smile. Lucas walked up to greet his father, so Julian stepped away to have a chat with Lucas. Sonny immediately seized the opportunity to talk to Alexis about Julian and Ric.

Alexis pointed out that Ric was at the party, so she doubted that Julian would say anything revealing about Ric. Sonny wanted Alexis to try to get Julian to open up because Sonny was certain that Ric and Julian were plotting against Sonny.

In the sitting room, Emma confessed to Spencer that her father had broken the egg that Spencer had given to her. Shocked, Spencer wondered if she had any idea how much the jeweled egg had been worth. Emma began to cry as she asked Spencer not to yell at her. Spencer explained that the egg had been smuggled out of Russia by his ancestors who had saved it from the Bolsheviks, but Emma insisted that it hadn't been her fault that the egg had been broken and then ran out of the room.

Emma bumped into Cam as he entered the room. Concerned, Cam asked why Emma was upset, so she told him about the broken egg. Spencer quickly clarified that it had been a priceless egg, but Cam didn't seem to care. Cam admitted that he had a gift for Emma, but it wasn't priceless. Emma smiled when Cam handed her the origami heart that he had made for her.

Furious, Spencer scoffed at the gift, snatched it out of Emma's hand, tossed it on the floor, and then ground it under his heel. Spencer grabbed Emma's hand to take her into the party, but Emma refused to spend time with Spencer because Spencer was mean. Instead, she took Cam's arm and then left with Cam.

Elsewhere, Dante stepped away to fetch Lulu and Olivia each a drink. Lulu was curious what Olivia had thought of Ben, so Olivia confessed that her grandson had his father's chin. Lulu agreed, but she sensed that Olivia was holding something back. Olivia conceded that the baby had reminded her of someone else. Lulu was curious if that someone else was Lulu. Olivia was surprised by the question, but Lulu confided that Lulu had thought the same thing.

Nearby, Liesl pulled her daughter aside to warn Britt to keep a close eye on Brad because Liesl had caught Brad about to tell Lucas about Ben. Concerned, Britt approached Brad to talk to Brad about their secret. Brad admitted that it was difficult to lie to Lucas because Brad felt guilty, so Britt suggested that Brad follow the advice that he had recently given to her because it had helped Britt to get past her own feelings of guilt.

Meanwhile, Lulu slipped into the bedroom to check on Ben.

In the sitting room, Elizabeth was surprised when she saw Cam's origami crumpled on the floor. She picked it up and unfurled it, but stopped short when she realized that the back of the flyer was a handwritten letter to Lulu from Britt.

Elsewhere, Nikolas thanked Luke for attending the party. Luke noticed that Lesley wasn't at the party, so Nikolas revealed that Nikolas' grandmother was in Europe, visiting Laura. Nikolas admitted that his mother had regretted missing the party, but he had promised to send Laura plenty of pictures. Nikolas was shocked when Luke suddenly commented that Britt was "one hot piece of ass."

At Wyndemere, Silas noticed the tension between Sam and Ric, so Sam explained that she had slept with Ric while Ric had been married to Alexis. Silas thought that he had heard wrong, but Sam admitted that he hadn't. He sensed that there was more that she wanted to say and invited her to a quiet place where they could continue their conversation. Sam agreed, but she asked him to grab a bottle of something strong to drink.

A short time later, Silas and Sam entered the stables. Silas poured them each a drink and then waited for Sam to talk. He assured her that she could trust him, so Sam opened up about her past and her one-night stand with Ric. She admitted that she had been in a bad place and had wanted to punish herself and lash out at everyone. At the same time, Alexis and Ric's marriage had been on the rocks, so Sam and Ric had ended up sleeping together.

Sam explained that before she had found out that Alexis was her mother, Sam had despised Alexis because of what had happened during Sam's first pregnancy. According to Sam, she had been at high risk for placental abruption and had been told to avoid stress. Meanwhile, Sam's sister, Kristina, had become sick, and Alexis had been desperate to find a cure for Kristina. Sam revealed that Alexis had had a meltdown in front of Sam, but Silas cut Sam off to assure Sam that there wasn't any need to explain further because he knew how it worked.

Sam revealed that after she had learned that Alexis was her mother, Sam had been shot. Alexis had blamed Jason, who had also blamed himself, so Alexis had pressured Jason to break off his engagement to Sam and then had moved Sam into the lake house. Sam admitted that she had been heartbroken and devastated, which had sent Sam into an emotional freefall. One night, Sam had been drinking heavily when Alexis had stormed out during a heated argument with Ric.

Sam assured Silas that she had regretted sleeping with Ric even before they'd had sex because Sam had never liked Ric. Sam insisted that Ric had always been a manipulator and obsessed with his half-brother, Sonny, who despised Ric as much as Ric did Sonny. However, the mistake with Ric had forced Sam to take a close look at herself, which had ultimately led Sam to make some changes for the better. Sam promised that she was no longer the person that she had been on the night that she had slept with Ric.

Silas pointed out that he wasn't in any position to judge because he had slept with Ava. He then lightened the mood by expressing regret that he hadn't known Sam's secrets during their custody battle for Rafe because Silas was certain that he could have "mopped the floor" by using the information. Sam teasingly scolded Silas and accused him of being terrible. Silas smiled and then kissed her.

Nikolas was offended when Luke referred to Britt as "one hot piece of ass," but Luke defended his crude remark by claiming that it had been a compliment to Nikolas. Nikolas insisted that Britt was his fiancée, so it had been inappropriate, but Luke refused to back down and told Nikolas to pull the "royal stick" out of Nikolas' "ass." Disgusted, Nikolas admitted that he had never understood what his mother had seen in Luke and then ordered Luke to get out. "It's your party," Luke sneered as he walked away.

Nearby, Lucas admired Tracy's ring and admitted that he was impressed with his uncle's selection. He assured Tracy that Luke was a really good guy underneath the rough exterior and that he was glad that Luke had left his unsavory past behind. Tracy's expression clouded with concern when her eyes drifted to Luke and she noticed that Luke appeared to be in an argument with Nikolas, so she quickly excused herself to catch up with Luke.

Dante asked Olivia where Lulu was, but Olivia admitted that she wasn't sure, so Dante decided to look for his wife. Olivia asked him not to and then reluctantly revealed that she and Lulu had talked about Ben and how the baby looked like Lulu. Dante was upset because he had expressly asked his mother not to say anything, but Olivia explained that Lulu had mentioned the resemblance first. Surprised, Dante pointed out that babies changed daily, so they could look like anyone, but it was impossible that Lulu was Ben's mother.

At the bar, Brad confided to Britt that the guilt over what they had done had started to eat at him, so Britt suggested that he follow his own advice by writing everything down to purge the feelings of guilt. She admitted that it had helped her to accept and live with the decision of taking a baby. Brad argued that it was difficult to do because Lulu would never be able to have another child. "And it sucks," Britt conceded, but she insisted that they needed to learn to live with it.

Brad explained that it had become difficult to move past it because he saw the ripple effects of what he and Britt had done every day. Brad confessed that he felt like a louse because he saw how Dante, Lulu, and their families had suffered. Brad shamefully admitted that he had never considered the consequences of their actions, but Britt argued that it was too late to change anything. She urged Brad to find a way to live with it and then reminded him what would happen if he said anything.

Moments later, Lucas walked up and handed Brad a drink. After Britt excused herself, Lucas asked Brad what had been going on between Brad and Britt. Resigned, Brad suggested that they find a more private setting and then led Lucas outside.

Meanwhile, Britt returned to her mother's side and confirmed that Brad had had misgivings. However, Britt was confident that she had handled things. Liesl wasn't satisfied because Britt had a lot to lose, so Liesl decided to take a more proactive approach to things and excused herself. Britt nervously wondered what her mother intended to do, but Liesl simply promised to take care of things and left.

Outside, Lucas asked what was troubling Brad. Brad confessed that he and Britt had been more than coworkers; they had also been partners in crime. Brad revealed that he had fixed lab results for Britt in exchange for a promotion. Surprised, Lucas wondered if anyone had known. Brad conceded that Felix had figured things out and had pushed Brad away because Felix had expected Brad to do the right thing. Eventually, Brad had revealed the truth to Dante and Lulu about Maxie's baby. Lucas was disappointed because he knew that it had broken Lulu's heart to lose her daughter.

Brad insisted that he had told the truth to make things right but conceded that it hadn't cost him anything. However, Brad had been a part of something else involving Britt and desperately wanted to tell the truth. Lucas wondered what was holding Brad back, so Brad explained that what they had done had gone beyond doctoring lab results. Lucas put the pieces together and asked if Brad had been involved in the theft of Dante's sperm.

Brad's expression filled with regret as he admitted that what they had done had paled in comparison. However, before Brad could elaborate, Liesl walked up and asked what Brad and Lucas were doing outside. Lucas resented the interruption and asked what Liesl's problem was. Liesl smiled politely as she explained that she had been looking for Lucas because Lulu had been asking for him, and it appeared that Lucas' cousin had been troubled.

Lucas blamed Liesl because Liesl had stolen Dante's sperm to impregnate Britt. Brad tried to shush Lucas, but Lucas refused to apologize for the outburst. Lucas gave Brad a quick kiss, glared at Liesl, and then left to find Lulu. Liesl hoped that Brad had enjoyed the kiss because she assured him that it would be his last.

Britt approached Nikolas at the bar, so Nikolas revealed that he wanted to make an official toast to their engagement. Nikolas offered to send someone to fetch Ben, but Britt wanted to do it. "He's my son," Britt added with a smile.

Nearby, Alexis and Sonny noticed Julian talking to Ric in a corner. Sonny realized that Julian was on guard, so Alexis wondered how she was expected to get Julian to open up about his association with Ric. Sonny was confident that Alexis would find a way, but Alexis believed that Sonny had her confused with Mata Hari. Alexis pointed out that Julian and Ric's connection could be legitimate, but Sonny doubted it and pushed Alexis to find out.

After Sonny walked away, Alexis furtively drifted close to Julian and Ric in time to hear Julian and Ric agree that it wasn't the place for them to talk because someone might overhear them.

Moments later, Cam and Emma entered the room. Cam called out to "Uncle Ric" to introduce Ric to Emma and announce that Ric's advice had worked. Ric was happy for Cam, while Julian smiled as Cam talked about the origami heart that Cam had made. Julian revealed that he owned an art gallery and expressed an interest in seeing the origami heart, but Cam admitted that Spencer had destroyed it. However, Cam was eager to tell his mother that Emma was his girlfriend, so Ric sent Cam and Emma to share the news with Molly while Ric fetched Elizabeth.

After Ric walked away, Alexis approached Julian and admitted that she had stayed away to avoid Ric. Julian was surprised because he had thought that Alexis and Ric were on good terms. Alexis explained that it only worked if she and her ex maintained their distance and then seized the opportunity to question Julian about the nature of his association with Ric. Julian reminded Alexis that Ric had gotten him out of jail, but Alexis suggested that Julian and Ric had seemed rather chummy. Julian claimed that he had talked to Ric about Lucas, which had surprised Alexis because she knew that Lucas was a sensitive topic for Julian.

Moments later, Julian's cell phone beeped indicating that he had received a text message. Alexis was eager to see what the text message read, so she bumped into him and sloshed her drink on his shirt and phone. Alexis quickly grabbed a napkin and then handed it to Julian to blot his shirt, while she took his phone to dry it off. She saw that the text message was a request for Julian to meet someone as soon as possible and then returned the phone to Julian before he noticed what she had done. Julian excused himself to clean up in the bathroom, so Alexis promised to wait, since they were like little caged rats trapped on the creepy island.

Elsewhere, Sonny spotted Spencer standing in the doorway and greeted his boxing buddy and nephew. He thanked Spencer for inviting him and Olivia to the party because it was a fun party, but Spencer disagreed and ran off. Concerned, Sonny quickly followed Spencer and found him crying in a quiet corner. Spencer ordered Sonny to leave because Spencer didn't want his uncle to see him cry. Sonny sat down next to Spencer and reminded him that they were both friends and family, so Spencer could talk to him.

Spencer confessed that he had lost the love of his life because Cam "the sneak" had stolen Emma. Spencer revealed how Emma had broken an expensive Fabergé egg from Russia that his ancestors had saved from the Bolsheviks and then admitted that he couldn't understand why Emma didn't realize that he would gladly buy her all of the happiness in the world. Sonny gently suggested that Cam hadn't stolen Emma; Spencer had driven Emma away.

Sonny explained that money didn't matter to good girls like Emma because they preferred someone who was good and humble. Sonny urged Spencer to learn from the mistake to avoid repeating it, but Spencer cried that Emma had been the only girl for him. Sonny hugged his nephew.

Meanwhile, Cam proudly informed Molly and T.J. that Emma was his girlfriend. They told the teens about Cam's gift and Spencer's outburst and then Emma confessed that Spencer had been almost as mean to her as Britt had been. Moments later, the chauffer approached to announce that it was time to leave because Emma had a curfew. Molly and T.J. chuckled when Cam and Emma grumbled about the restrictions.

In the foyer, Sonny asked if Spencer felt better after their talk. Spencer admitted that the party would be a welcome distraction from the crushing disappointment of losing Emma, but then he saw Cam walk Emma to the door. Cam thanked Emma for picking him, so Emma confessed that it had been a "no-brainer." Spencer was crushed when Cam kissed Emma on the cheek and then walked her out.

Dejected, Spencer asked Sonny to make his excuses and then turned in for the night. Sonny approached Nikolas at the bar to warn Nikolas that Spencer's heart had been broken. However, Sonny admitted that he had talked to Spencer and that he was glad that Spencer would be Sonny's grandson's big brother because Spencer was a good kid.

In the sitting room, Elizabeth was stunned when she read the letter that Britt had written to Lulu and realized that Ben was Lulu and Dante's son. Ric entered the room and announced that he had good news about Cam, but Ric immediately became concerned when he noticed the expression on Elizabeth's face. Elizabeth showed Ric the letter as she explained that it would change lives. Ric read the letter and looked up at her with disbelief.

Elizabeth admitted that she had always known that Britt was a liar and had warned Nikolas, but Elizabeth had never imagined that Britt would have gone as far as to steal Lulu's frozen embryos. Elizabeth was furious that Britt had looked Dante, Lulu, and Nikolas in the eye and had lied about Ben's true parentage. Ric couldn't understand how Cam had ended up with the letter, so Elizabeth flipped it over and realized that it had been written on the back of a Nurses Ball flyer, which meant that Britt had written it prior to Elizabeth and Cam entering the conference room earlier that day.

Elizabeth decided to share the letter with Nikolas, but Ric stopped her because he wondered if she intended to tell Nikolas about Britt's crime because it was the right thing to do or because it would break up Nikolas and Britt. Elizabeth was offended by the question and insisted that Lulu and Dante deserved to know the truth. Ric agreed, so he suggested that Elizabeth show the letter to Lulu, not Nikolas, because Lulu would be the one most affected by the news. Elizabeth realized that Ric was right and turned to leave. Ric offered to go with her, but Elizabeth declined.

At the party, Alexis told Sonny about the text message that Julian had received. She explained that there hadn't been a phone number with the message, but Julian had promised to return shortly, which indicated that the meeting would take place on the castle's grounds. Alexis assured Sonny that she knew the place like the back of her hand, so she was confident that she could track Julian and the mystery person down.

A short time later, Alexis overheard Ric congratulate a mystery person and brag that their plan had worked. She was startled when she entered the room and saw Ric talking to Cam. Ric noticed that she seemed surprised and wondered who she had expected him to be talking to.

In the bedroom, Lulu played with Ben and then picked him up as she wondered why he looked like her. Lulu realized that she had to accept that he was not her son, but it was difficult because she hadn't been the only one to notice the resemblance. Moments later, Tracy entered the room, looking for Luke, but she stopped short when she saw Lulu holding the baby and asked what Lulu was doing. Lulu admitted that she was trying to accept that Ben was Britt's son. Tracy's eyes filled with concern as she closed he door and approached Lulu.

Tracy felt terrible for Lulu, but Lulu reminded Tracy that Tracy had been looking for Luke. Tracy insisted that Lulu was more important because Tracy loved Lulu like a daughter and took the role seriously. Lulu believed that Lulu deserved to be childless because of the abortion that Lulu had had as a teenager, but Tracy argued that Lulu would have lost that baby in the end because Lulu couldn't carry a baby to term. Lulu conceded that Britt had said the same thing, but Lulu believed that it had been karma because Lulu hadn't wanted the baby.

Tracy argued that Lulu had been young and not ready to be a mother and then added that it had been an agonizing decision for Lulu that had given Lulu an endless amount of pain. Lulu cried that she couldn't get pregnant or adopt and that her last remaining frozen embryos had been destroyed. Moments later, Britt entered the room but froze when she saw Lulu holding Ben. Britt was curious what Lulu was doing with Britt's son, so Tracy explained that they had been looking for Luke and had decided to check on Ben. Britt smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes as she took Ben from Lulu and invited Lulu and Tracy to rejoin the party.

After Britt left, Lulu asked for a moment alone to pull herself together. Tracy offered a few more words of encouragement and then left.

In the hallway, Britt whispered to Ben that she hoped that Brad kept quiet and then joined Nikolas at the party as the guests gathered for the toast.